Like Magic
by CBAEFG7125
Summary: INFINITY WAR SPOILERS What could have happened in the first 10 minutes of the movie so our hearts wouldn't have broken so early, or at least not as much. A collection of one-shots that either fix Loki's death, avoid it, or make it less pointless than it was. Will be classified as complete, as no chapter will relate to another except in being largely based around the same scene.
1. A Jotun

**A/N The first 10 minutes of Infinity War broke me. It was the first time I have cried in a movie in years, and even then only that scene actually brought tears. Peter's death came close, but didn't affect me as much as Loki's, and I'm 99% sure Peter will come back. I'm hopeful but not completely convinced that Loki will.**

 **So, here will be thoughts that ran through my head during the movie, and directly after. I know that i have Clever Serpent Little Fox in the works, and school preceding that, but I had to write at least one of my ideas before I have an emotional break-down.**

 **As said, this work will stay complete, and I will only add chapters as I finish them, as all will be one-shots with no continuing stories. I have six ideas so far, all of which have a small note so I don't forget them, but I don't think I will write anymore until the middle of November when my school exams end. Like my other story, there may be other chapters written and posted in the holidays, but it just depends on how much work I have to do then.**

 **Final point before the first chapter. The title of the whole work is 'Like Magic' because all these one-shots will be linked in some way to Loki's magic. I've noticed that in all the movies, we see so little, even though we've been told he can shape shift in movie canon, and can do so much more in the comics. Especially in this movie and Ragnarok, it's like it has been forgotten that he even has magic except for three minor instances (illusory selves, memories of Valkyrie, and summoning the Tesseract). I hope to fix that, and in the process, also hope you enjoy.**

 **Chapter 1 - A Jotun...**

His arm was frozen with the knife held, unwavering, inches from Thanos' throat. He couldn't move it forward to achieve the kill he had aimed for, nor backward in retreat. He was powerless when faced with an Infinity Stone, much less two, and it was impossible for Loki to overcome the force that kept him in place.

But he didn't have to. Loki had known he stood little chance of killing Thanos as easily as some words and a knife. If he had succeeded, wonderful, but he was not one to rely on chance.

Before Loki had crept forward with a false offer of loyalty, he had desperately searched though a way to keep himself and Thor alive. There were precious few. His magic was almost depleted from protecting the Ark as it journeyed through the Devil's Anus to Asgard, fighting on the Bifrost, and finally warning as many as he could of his people to flee from the ship in escape pods when Thanos first arrived. There had not been enough time to regain much at all.

Only one action was left, as it used virtually nothing. A skill he had mastered centuries ago, from the day he was born, in fact. He just needed to be closer, much closer.

Thanos had only prevented his arm from moving, so Loki could have said something heroic, chilling, or threatening if he had wanted to. He didn't, not yet.

His head dropped instead, and he broke his gaze with Thanos. The Titan laughed, thinking it was in fear, in defeat, or subservience as a final plea to live. It was none of these things.

It was disgust.

Although Loki knew it was necessary, he did not want to see the evidence of what he would do next.

Thanos reached a hand towards Loki's neck, and began to squeeze, slowly, as painfully as possible. Only then did he release Loki from the power of the gauntlet that held him immobile.

He expected the natural reaction of any being in response to being choked; flailing, grasping – a futile struggle that only increased the terror. None of these happened. Instead, the only reaction Thanos received was a sudden chill in the air, and a crackle of frost that confused all present.

Loki's hair obscured his face, which hid the telling change of his pale skin turning blue, a moment before his hand held in the air did too.

Thanos had not even lifted him from the ground when a blade of ice formed around Loki's hand and extended from the tips of his fingers, straight into the Titan's throat and further, up into his brain as Loki finally moved.

The purple hand unclenched, and Loki dropped, gasping a little, but landing on his feet. Thanos fell backward, with black burns on one hand, and red blood gushing from the fatal wound. The stones were useless as his gauntleted fist was now the one that couldn't move. He landed with a crash against the metal floor of the Arc.

The Black Order was shocked at the end of their previously most-powerful master. Taking inspiration from his elder sister, Loki formed ice spikes from the ground that impaled each of them through the head or chest. Ebony Maw wasn't fast enough to begin threatening Thor's life before he was struck, and the others were too far to attack or defend themselves either.

Now that the five hostiles were dead, Loki delivered mocking words to his former tormentors. His voice cracked. He didn't care.

"I did warn you that I wasn't Aesir."

He turned his back on the gruesome scene and walked to Thor. He kept his hands out of his sight, and did not look up from where the Thunderer's bindings met the floor.

Loki touched the bands that were not in contact with Thor's skin, and again lowered his natural temperature until the metal turned brittle, and he snapped them away. A few more, and he stepped backwards so Thor could tear himself out of the rest.

Not a word was spoken from either of the gods.

Loki startled when he felt a calloused hand hovering gently at the back of his neck that was already forming dark blue and purple bruises. He finally looked up at Thor as he was drawn into an embrace.

There was none of the revulsion that he had feared on the Thunderer's face. Only love, gratefulness, and awe.

In his now strained, rough voice, the Trickster spoke. "You would hug a Jotun?"

"I hug my brother."


	2. No Resurrections? About That

**A/N What am I doing instead of studying for my exams tomorrow and next week? Writing facfiction yay! I'm so screwed...**

 **Anyway, I had planned to have the chapters with similar titles running on from each other (A Jotun...A something...A something else) but I just had to write this one before someone else took the idea. I'll make a brief note at the end about where the inspiration came from, because if I did it here it would be too much of a spoiler.**

 **Please tell me if there are any mistakes. I wrote this in a few hours and wanted to post it quickly so I wouldn't spend more time on it that i should be using to study. :)**

 __ **Chapter 2 - No Resurrections? About That...**

"All my life I dreamed of a day, a moment, when you got what you deserved. And I was always so disappointed. But now, you kill and torture and you call it mercy. The universe has judged you. You asked it for a prize and it told you no. You failed. And do you want to know why? Because you love nothing. No one." Gamora was practically shaking with mirth at seeing her 'father' brought low. Stalking around him, she spat spiteful words, and failed to notice the shift in the Stonekeeper's expression from disinterest to mild curiosity.

She did not miss Thanos' change. "Really? Tears?" She scoffed.

From behind her, the Stonekeeper spoke. "They are not for him." Neither of the others were looking at him though, so still didn't see how he seemed to be waiting for a certain moment. The Red Skull did not smile, but he had been waiting a long time to tell what he knew, and being a dramatic past-villain, he could not possibly say it outright. He was finding these two interesting to watch, having been alone on a dead planet for over 70 years.

Gamora had realised what Thanos was going to do, and terror quickly replaced her glee. "No. This isn't love. This isn't love!"

Thanos grabbed her roughly by the arm. "I ignored my destiny once. I cannot do that again. Even for you. I'm sorry, Gamora."

"NO!" She screamed, and just before Thanos made the forceful movement that would send her over the edge of the cliff, the Stonekeeper spoke.

"Stop." It was commanding in a way that his voice had not been before, and knowing the power that this being held over the soul stone, Thanos did stop, though he continued to hold Gamora even as she struggled.

"Thanos, son of Alars, you have proven that you would pay the price the soul stone requires, and know that you would have succeeded, if you had not come too late."

In his shock, Gamora was able to break free from Thanos' hold, and she scrambled away from him in blind terror at how close she came to a horrible death. Thanos hardly noticed.

"What do you mean, too late?" There was a warning in his voice. Red Skull ignored it. Even with all the infinity stones, there was nothing that could be done to harm him. An infinity stone was what had forced this existence on him in the first place, after all.

"Look at the bottom of the cliff," he said calmly. When Thanos made to walk towards him instead, he continued. "I could disappear from you now and you would never know why you cannot gain the soul stone. Look at the bottom of the cliff." Thanos stopped.

Before he turned, he used the stones he had to prevent Gamora from moving off the ground where she lay. This was to make sure she wouldn't push him when he reached the edge as much as to stop her from running, for all the good it would do.

From the edge, it was only through the enhancements of the stones that he could see what the Stonekeeper no doubt wanted him to. Bloodstains. Many of them.

"The stone requires a soul for a soul. Each of those bloodstains is a previous being come here to possess the power you now seek. Every single one has come back. There is no wind here. No creatures that feed on dead matter. Bodies stay, untouched, for eternity. The Possessors trade the soul stone for the loved one they sacrificed, even those that were so sure they were willing to pay the price.

"I am not the first who touched the space stone and was deemed unworthy, I am only the latest. When sent here, my predecessor was surprised to see me. He thought I would be someone else, someone who had visited centuries ago…"

"Centuries?" Thanos asked, anger beginning to cloud his tone.

"Don't interrupt. Yes, centuries. Before my predecessor disappeared to finally be free of this curse, he told me of the one that had achieved and kept the stone for the longest of anyone. He came 512 years ago, and the one he sacrificed was a woman a few years younger than himself, who he had known since childhood. Her name was Sigyn. All thought that they would be wed once they came of age, but she was said to have been poisoned. No one but the Possessor and myself know her true death. She was a seer, and her visions foretold the then future of one searching for, gaining, and using all six infinity stones, despite the many working to stop them.

"She convinced the Possessor to sacrifice her, having been shown the price of the soul stone. My predecessor told me what happened after…"

 _They held onto each other as they walked ahead of me to the top of the cliff. Both standing regally, it could still be seen that she was supporting him slightly. Neither said a word. I knew from the moment I saw them that if either sacrificed the other, they would gain the soul stone._

 _When we did arrive, I began to tell them of the price that would need to be paid. I only spoke a few words before Sigyn Freyadóttir cut me off with "We know." The other hadn't yet said anything, looking down at the ground._

 _When he did speak, it was in a broken whisper. "Sigyn, I can't."_

 _Sigyn took his face in her hands, drawing his gaze up to hers. "My love, you must, or half the universe will be slaughtered. Please, I am happy to die knowing that trillions will live."_

 _With a morbid, shaky smile, the man whispered as a single tear dripped from his eye. "I don't deserve you. This world doesn't deserve you."_

 _She kissed him then, gently and very brief, before placing her wrists in his hands. "You must be the one to let me go." I could only watch in astonishment as they did actually seem to know what price the soul stone took._

 _She was the one to draw them closer to the edge, walking backwards until only her toes touched ground. Their eyes didn't wander from the other's as he held tighter to her, and she leaned back._

 _"_ _I love you," he said, stronger._

 _She smiled with dark humour. "This wouldn't work if you didn't." His single laugh turned into a sob, and his eyes flicked to where his hands gripped around her wrists, the only ties keeping her from falling. He looked back at her when she said "I love you too."_

 _I could see his conflict. This was the last moment that he could draw her back into his arms. He took a breath…_

 _…_ _and let go._

 _He didn't move as she disappeared from my sight. I knew they were looking at the other until the end._

 _He didn't move at the almost-inaudible sound of her last moment._

 _Not even when the sky turned orange and the soul stone accepted the sacrifice._

 _A minute passed before he quickly turned around and took the soul stone in his hand. He stared at its orange glow for a few more seconds, before saying simply "Bind to my own."_

 _His whole hand emitted the same glow as the stone seemingly disappeared. The glow travelled, visible even through clothes, and he drew in on himself when it reached under his heart. Then, it too faded, and he rose. His eyes were completely orange for a few seconds._

 _Of all the many who had come before him, never had anyone bound the stone to their own soul, instead using some weapon or casing to keep it. He was truly powerful, and had clearly studied the stones beforehand._

 _I nearly missed when he spoke to me, but the silence of the planet carried his quiet words. "May I take her, to…to complete her proper funeral rights?"_

 _Gently, knowing how devastated he felt at that moment, I replied. "You will not be able to reverse this day if you do. If you ever wish to rid yourself of the stone, you will only be able to give it back. She can remain here, for eternity, or until whatever threat you believe would kill half the universe has passed."_

 _"_ _I fear I will not be able to last long enough for that to occur. I already dearly wish to reverse it. How can I possibly wait an indeterminate amount of time while the temptation remains? Besides, I could never leave her here. May I or may I not take her from this planet?" He grew more forceful as he spoke, but I knew it was a mask._

 _"_ _Of course. This way."_

 _As he followed me to the bottom of the cliff, I asked how they had known of the trial for the stone, and why they decided to complete such a sacrifice for it._

 _He told me of the visions Sigyn had seen that he hoped would now never come to pass, and I must admit I do to, as it would throw the universe into chaos._

 _When we reached the bottom, he kneeled beside her. Her blood had begun to pool from where her skull had cracked at the back of her head, and her limbs were askew. Her mouth still held a gentle smile, and she looked up with an unseeing gaze at the top of the cliff, peaceful in her death. He knelt beside her, then slowly, reverently closed her eyes. Placing a hand against her head, green magic swirled and her wound closed. He repeated this with her arms, legs, and spine, until she looked like she was merely sleeping._

 _He picked her up with an arm around her back and the other under her legs. He nodded once to me before walking out in the direction of where they had entered together._

 _As the keeper of the stone, I have watched his journey through the years, waiting for him to return in tears to beg for her back, but he never did._

Throughout the Red Skull's explanation, Thanos had begun pacing, muttering 'no' under his breath. Gamora watched him wearily, having long given up trying to escape from the power of the stones he already had.

"My predecessor taught me how to watch him, and I have been, since that day. He's died on multiple occasions during my existence here, but the fusing of his soul and the stone has brought him back, every time. I don't think even he knew of that effect until the first time that he…"

 _"_ _WHO? WHO TOOK MY STONE?"_ Thanos roared, cutting him off.

Gamora was the one who answered. At the point of the healing, she had straightened as much as she could for a moment in realisation, and had just been waiting to tell him. "Can't you guess?"

He stopped his pacing and turned menacingly to face her. "Gamora…"

She laughed. "No wait, tell us how 'the Possessor' has died, from the…hmmm…second most recent. I want to see how long it takes until he realises that he let the stone he most wanted slip through his fingers for _years._ "

The Red Skull also wanted to see how the would-be 'saviour' of the universe would react, as it was undoubtedly him who had been predicted in Sigyn's visions, so he continued.

" _Second_ most…well, a large fire giant ran him through with a sword recently. Adrenaline allowed him to get to a ship and fly far enough away before he succumbed to his wounds. Before that, someone thought it would be a great trick to leave one of Sakaar's obedience disks on, which had made that someone fall unconscious from the pain after only a few seconds, and which he had no idea how to use, while he walked away. Considering that those disks are only meant to be left on for up to a minute, the Possessor was in a constant state of dying and restoration for a few hours until he was found.

"I'll skip the next for a second as these are tied together, but his arrival on Sakaar saw him being impaled by a lost Asgardian spear when he fell to the surface. Rightfully thinking him dead, the scavengers took him from the spear and made to eat him, when he resurrected and killed them instead. He made his way to the obvious capital of the area, avoiding Scrappers, until in the city, the signature of the stone he kept was recognised by an Elder of the Universe, who presided over Sakaar. Unsure if he could come back from being melted, which he can by the way, the Possessor followed the Elder, who killed him a couple of times trying to get the stone from him. After a week and a half, the Possessor managed to free himself, and while using the stone to incapacitate the Elder briefly, used his own powers of the mind through contact to remove the memory of the stone. He also forced the Elder to make everyone else, including himself, on the planet believe that Loki was a new inhabitant that had quickly gained the Elder's favour by being a powerful sorcerer. Technically, that bit wasn't even a lie.

"Before _that_ , he had been impaled by the last Kursed during the Dark Elves' attack against Asgard a couple years ago."

Gamora continued the rest. "Do you know yet, _Father_? Do you know who _stole_ your _precious_ stone? No? Well, I bet that the next death this Possessor experienced was when he was chained to a stone slab, and a blade ventured _just_ too deep into his heart. I thought he survived because of his species, but…"

The Red Skull finished her implied question. "It was the soul stone, yes. There are still two more deaths. The first one was when he fell through the void."

Thanos froze, and the pieces fell into place.

"Finally, he died only days ago from strangulation and having his neck snapped, knowing that the being who killed him would leave his brother a chance to live through his own death, but you already know that, now don't you?"

When Thanos lunged towards the Red Skull, he grabbed nothing but shadows. Using the reality gem did nothing.

From the air around him, the Red Skull's voice sounded once more. "Loki Odinson will be your doom."

 **A/N When Thanos said to Loki after killing him 'no resurrections this time', I immediately thought that Loki had at least found if not possessed the soul stone, and that's why he keeps surviving things he shouldn't (again considering that apparently only Thor is actually a god who can survive things). In the theatre I was like 'Oh he totally has it doesn't he, and no one else knows.' Of course, it didn't happen, but the idea ran away with me, and then I thought who he would sacrifice. The only one that makes sense is a past lover, and Sign came to mind, which I then supported (e.g. he's never paired with anyone in the MCU because he killed his only love).**

 **I didn't realise until after writing this that Loki actually smiles really quickly when he says 'undying', which is just more proof that he's not dead, with or without the soul stone.**

 **I'm not as happy with this chapter as the other, because I have no idea how to characterise Red Skull, obviously. I wanted it to be more serious, but couldn't find a way to do it.**

 **I do have a further ending in mind that is much more serious, but also really wanted to end it there. I may go back on my word and make a part two in a later chapter, 'cause I do also like the continuation, but I'm not sure. I might use it for something later, and it is similar to others that I want to do so I don't know.**

 **From here on out, the rest are going to be much longer than this and last chapter. (Like...** ** _much_** **).**

 **Thanks for reading.**


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